Laguna Beach Magazine: October/November 2017
A tiny home in Laguna Beach | Photo by Dondee Quincena
Notes From the Editors
When I first heard about the tiny home trend, it immediately piqued my interest—the minimalist lifestyle is one that I’ve always aspired to implement, although the seemingly endless amount of clothes in my closet might say otherwise. Then, I moved into a quaint apartment that’s less than 1,000 square feet, which required me to utilize every inch of available space. It made me realize how difficult, yet rewarding it is to downsize, and that it’s entirely possible to create an amazing home even when it isn’t expansive. Although the tiny homes in Laguna are certainly out of my price range, “Diminutive Dwellings” (page 46) gives brilliant examples of how to save space without sacrificing style. From furniture to lighting to the color of the walls, when there isn’t much room to work with, every little bit counts.
Golfers during the fundraiser | Photo by Shanda Venneau
Community
Getzlaf Golf Shootout
The seventh annual Getzlaf Golf Shootout raised more than $546,000 for CureDuchenne, a Newport Beach-based nonprofit that funds research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic disease affecting one in every 5,000 boys; typically, patients are no longer able to walk by age 12 and don’t live beyond their mid-20s. Anaheim Ducks hockey team Capt. Ryan Getzlaf, and his wife, Paige, host the annual event, raising in excess of $2 million to benefit CureDuchenne over the years.
More than 500 people attended the MVP party at Time Nightclub in Costa Mesa on Sept. 8, where they were treated to cocktails, dinner, auctions and nightclub admission. The golf tournament followed the next day at Monarch Beach Golf Links in Dana Point. Highlights included food, drinks and giveaways from brands like TravisMathew men’s apparel as well as a $1 million hole-in-one contest. (cureduchenne.org)
Reggie Bush, Ryan Sheckler and Klay Thompson | Photo by Michael Custodio
Ryan Sheckler Oakley Golf Tournament & Gala
Ryan Sheckler’s third annual gala and 10th annual Oakley Golf Tournament drew a crowd of more than 500 guests to Monarch Beach Resort and Golf Links for the two-day event that kicked off on Sept. 9. Attendees, including music artists such as Avenged Sevenfold and professional athletes like football players Reggie Bush and Ryan Mathews, raised $300,000 for the Sheckler Foundation, which benefits children as well as injured action sports athletes by awarding grants to organizations that are making a difference.
The weekend began with a cocktail reception that included a cigar lounge, music and appetizers. Then, during dinner, attendees took part in a live auction and enjoyed a musical performance by the reggae and ska band, Tunnel Vision. There was also an award presentation to honor Steve Astephen, a board member for the Sheckler Foundation and Ryan Sheckler’s agent, for his dedication to the organization.
The next day, guests took to the golf course for a tournament with a vintage nautical theme as well as a putting contest for a chance to win $10,000. Following time on the green, the event featured a cocktail hour, raffles, an awards ceremony and Find Your Grind, a helicopter ball drop. Proceeds from the latter event were to be donated to aid those affected by Hurricane Harvey. (shecklerfoundation.org)
Philanthropist of the Year Ryan Hickman | Photo by Mark Girardeau
The Endless Summer Gala
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) hosted its annual The Endless Summer Gala on Sept. 10 at The Ranch at Laguna Beach. The event collected over $310,000—more money than any of the organization’s past fundraisers—to support its dedication to saving the lives of marine mammals through rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing them back into the wild; conducting research on the animals’ recoveries; and encouraging people to become ocean stewards.
About 300 guests attended the event, which included live and silent auctions, dinner and dancing to the beat of Surf’s Up, a Beach Boys tribute band. The distinguished award for Philanthropist of the Year went to 8-year-old Ryan Hickman, a world-renowned entrepreneur who founded Ryan’s Recycling when he was only 3 years old. He has donated more than $5,000 to PMMC, from funds he collected by recycling approximately 263,000 cans and bottles to date. (pacificmmc.org)
Laguna Landscapes
Barbara’s Lake
During a visit to Barbara’s Lake, local photographer Baldemar Fierro snapped a shot of the serene moment (pictured below) to illustrate the movement he witnessed in the rolling fog and languid water. Although Fierro has been a Laguna Beach resident since 2005—the same year that he launched his photography career—this was his first experience at Barbara’s Lake, which is in Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, just off of Laguna Canyon Road.
Barbara’s Lake by Baldemar Fierro
“I like the space and peace Laguna Canyon provides, finding a small cove for a summertime swim and the great people I’ve met in this community,” Fierro says of living here. “Laguna has always been a town for the arts, so for a photographer, it’s perfect. I’m grateful to be living and creating here.”
Fierro has always had a special connection with the city, where he spent much time while growing up nearby. “Most of my childhood was spent in Laguna Hills,” he says. “We would visit Laguna [Beach] often and I loved the drive through the canyon to get to town, riding down Third Street in my dad’s VW Bus and checking out the art at [the now-closed] Sherwood Gallery.”
His interest in photography was sparked more than 15 years ago and he studied the craft at Orange Coast College, where he learned the ins and outs of analog photography. That is where he first developed film and mastered darkroom techniques, which he still uses on occasion, but he more often works with digital cameras for their simplicity and fast turnaround.
His style is all about accentuating the beauty of even the most monotonous subjects, such as the open ocean, dead palm trees or traffic lights. “Everything out there is open game when taking photos,” he says. “I think most people can relate to being struck by something they see when in the right context.”
Fierro is also a seasoned travel photographer, whose work has taken him around the United States and to international locations such as Japan, Brazil, Iceland and various other European countries. “Photography has been a vehicle for exploration,” Fierro says. “It has been the force behind my travels which has given me much more than photographs.”
For more, visit baldemarfierro.com.
